White Winter Pearmain

Flavor: Juicy and aromatic, with a hint of sweetness and a little bit of pear flavor

Approximate Ripening: Early October

Uses: Eating

Trivia: There is quite a bit of debate as to the origins of this apple. Conventional wisdom suggest that when settlers pushed west, they brought seedlings with them that eventually sprouted in Indiana. White Winter Pearmain was discovered in 1849 and cataloged by the American Pomological Society in 1858. The name was technically changed to just White Pearmain in 1897, but the old moniker sticks. However, White Winter Pearmain might just be one of the oldest known apple in existence if you believe those who trace it back to England circa 1200 A.D. So is this the fabled old English apple or the mid-19th century Hoosier product? Is it White Winter Pearmain or just White Pearmain? Ah, the mysteries of apple culture …

Notes: There’s a lot we don’t know about White Winter Pearmain’s origins, but we do know that it’s a big, beautiful apple that’s brown-dotted pale yellow on its shaded side and blushed red on the sun-kissed side. The semi-sweet, aromatic quality of its flesh makes it a superior dessert apple, especially with that little dab of pear flavor that adds complexity.